Training Device For Putting A Golf Ball

ABSTRACT

A training device for putting a golf ball. The training device includes an elongated plate. At least one anchoring member is secured to the elongated plate for anchoring the elongated plate, such as on a putting green. The device further includes an alignment guide configured to facilitate rolling of the golf ball along the elongated plate with a golf club.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/255,075 filed on Jan. 23, 2019, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/620,585, filed on Jan. 23, 2018. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a training device for putting a golf ball.

BACKGROUND

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure, which is not necessarily prior art.

Various training devices exist for training a person to putt a golf ball. While current devices are suitable for their intended use, they are subject to improvement. The present disclosure includes a training device for putting a golf ball that trains a person in at least the following areas of putting with improved ease, efficiency, and effectiveness: putt speed; putter face position at impact; swing path; centered clubface-ball contact; aim; and successfully putting the golf ball in a hole.

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of select embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a training device in accordance with the present disclosure for putting a golf ball;

FIGS. 4-7 illustrate mounting members for securing the training device of FIGS. 1-3 at a desired location, such as on a putting green;

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate the training device of FIGS. 1-3 and a laser alignment device; and

FIG. 10 is an isolated view of an exemplary laser alignment device for use with the training device of the present disclosure.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1-10 illustrate an exemplary training device in accordance with the present disclosure for putting a golf ball. The training device includes an elongated plate, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, for example. The elongated plate can have any suitable thickness, length, and width, such as the following: ⅛″×2′×42″ or ⅛″×2′×16″. At least one anchoring member is secured to the elongated plate to anchor the elongated plate to any suitable surface, such as a putting green. FIGS. 4-7 show details of exemplary anchoring members. Any suitable anchoring members can be used, such as golf tees. The anchoring members can be positioned on opposite sides of the elongated plate, and can be used as swing alignment members and ball alignment members as well.

The training device further includes an alignment guide to facilitate rolling of the golf ball along the elongated plate with a golf club (particularly a putter). Any suitable alignment guide may be used, such as an alignment line on the elongated plate. The alignment guide may further include a laser, as illustrated in FIGS. 8-10, for example. The laser can be arranged in any suitable manner, such as to direct a beam of light along the elongated plate (and along the alignment line when included). The laser may also direct the beam of light beyond the elongated plate, such as towards and to a golf hole. The laser can be arranged at any suitable position, such as at an end of the elongated plate.

The training device (also referred to herein as “RollTYME”) is a high performance golf putting teaching aid. In less than a moment, RollTYME lets the golfer know exactly what they did to make the putt or what they should have done if they missed the putt. RollTYME uses DFT (dual feedback technology) to help golfers improve and grow in understanding how good a putter he/she really is and what really matters in becoming an amazing putter.

The training device helps a golfer improve his/her ability to: make the putt; control ball speed; return the face angle of the putter “square” or straight at the moment of impact; swing his/her putter head through the tees to help develop a consistent putter swing path; make contact between the center of the putter and the ball (if the golfer successfully strokes the putter though the tees, he/she should make center contact and improve ball speed consistency for better distance control; aim (use the training device to determine breaking point or simply where to aim in relation to the hole); use laser technology to align the putter face to address the ball and to align the body; start the ball rolling down the intended line (while a golfer may misread a putt, or hit the ball too slow or too fast, the golfer's skill of at least starting the ball down their intended target line is still very important to amazing putting).

The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.

Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.

When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A training device for putting a golf ball comprising: an elongated plate; a support rod extending through an aperture defined by the elongated plate; a first anchoring member secured to a first end of the support rod on a first side of the elongated plate, and a second anchoring member secured to a second end of the support rod on a second side of the elongated plate that is opposite to the first side, the first and second anchoring members configured to anchor the elongated plate to a putting green; and an alignment guide configured to facilitate rolling of the golf ball along the elongated plate with a golf club.
 2. The training device of claim 1, wherein the alignment guide includes an alignment line on the elongated plate.
 3. The training device of claim 1, wherein the alignment guide includes a laser.
 4. The training device of claim 3, wherein the laser is arranged to direct a beam of light along the elongated plate.
 5. The training device of claim 4, wherein the laser is arranged to direct the beam of light beyond the elongated plate.
 6. The training device of claim 3, wherein the laser is arranged at an end of the elongated plate.
 7. The training device of claim 1, wherein the first anchoring member and the second anchoring member are golf tees. 